Latino Daily News

Brazil Charges 4 Police Officers with Assaulting World Cup Protesters

Four members of the Rio de Janeiro state police were detained Wednesday on charges they assaulted reporters and activists during a protest against the amount of public money Brazil spent to host the World Cup soccer tournament.

The arrests were made after several media outlets released videotape footage of last Sunday’s demonstration in which the police are seen attacking reporters and citizens, police sources said.

In one of the videos an officer can be seen kicking Canadian journalist Jason O’Hara in the face while he was filming the demonstration near Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium, scene of the World Cup final between Argentina and Germany.

One of the four arrested officers is also accused of robbing and attacking photographer Mauro Pimentel.

The Journalists Union of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro said Monday that 15 reporters were injured by the state police while they were covering the demonstration.